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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

my codeine use

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joelz

Bluelighter
Joined
Feb 21, 2005
Messages
15
Location
melbourne
hey guys, been a while. havent touched illicts since 2007. i have just started taking panadine fortes which have 30mg codeine per tablet. i take 3 tablets in one go, once a day when im in mad pain. i worry that i'll eventually become addicted.....u know that feeling?....in the gut....
i wanna stay clean and not be addicted to anything......just looking for some advice.....
:\
peace
joely
 
Take them only as needed and don't take them for recreation, only pain. As long as you don't start having more than prescribed daily you should be fine.
 
hey bra, thanks for the quick reply. guess im just over stressing lol. for me theres a thin line between recreation and taking it for pain. i never ever take more then prescribed. cause of my previous problems with addiction im just cautious and u know once an addict u always have that feeling for something....well i do...

i generally take 90mg codeine a day. panadine fortes.


peace bra
joel
 
Yeah, well i can't say i'm not an addict.

90mg a day could well be heading towards a tolerance and upping the dose etc.

Have you looked into some of the NSAIDs. Naproxen(aleve) is very decent non-opiate pain medication.

Also Torodol and tramadol, while being opioid's, are non-narcotic pain killers. Perhaps you could consider breaking up your codeine to say 1 day codeine, 1 day Naproxen, 1 day tramadol - repeat.

I don't really think 90mg a day is troubling, however, undoubtedly you will get tolerance and its analgesic effects will diminish causing you to up the dose. So perhaps consider some other NSAID's. Depending on what pain you are suffering.

Nabumetone commonly known under the brand name Relafen is used a lot in arthritic pain or hormonal pain.
Celecoxib, also known as Celebrex, Celebra or Onsenal. It is used with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Acute Pain and extreme menstrual pain.
Oxaprozinum/Oxaprozin - Daypro, Dayrun, Duraprox. Is used also in Arthritic patients for joint pain.

These are all Non-steroidal Anti Inflammatory drugs, so they work mainly to reduce inflammation (apart from tramadol and torodol).


Maybe have a talk with your doctor about all the non-opioid/opiate pain killer options. I would by all means keep the Codeine, but perhaps as I said break it up with other pain killers.
 
On the Naproxon Na, my dad (who has NEVER done an illegal drug before in his life...or smoked cigarettes...and has gone the last 20+ years of his life without a drink) says that Aleve does NOTHING for him lol. He takes 800mg Ibuprofen instead.

On the Tramadol, I take 400mg/day of it (which, mg for mg, is equi-analgesic with codeine-400mg T=400mg C), and while I've never had to deal with running out of it, I've read the withdrawals are very long and very hellish (acute W/D symptoms last up to a week, and (non-acute? lol) can last up to a month (man is it gonna suck when I move up to a different opioid perhaps I'll get weened off of the Tramadol while I get titrated up with another drug lol).

That's just my two cents on it.
 
^^ Hence why I recommended breaking it up over a bunch of different medications. By changing medications every other day he wont reach a tolerance like 400mg tramadol daily and I imagine it wont build to great a dependency to give withdrawals.

I've heard varying reports about Naproxen. I know some girls that swear by it around that time of the month.

It all depends on what the pain is I guess.
Ibuprofen treats: Painful Periods, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Joint Inflammatory Disease in Children and Young Adults, Joint Damage causing Pain and Loss of Function, Fever, Pain, Head Pain

Naproxen treats: Gout, Painful Periods, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Joint Inflammatory Disease in Children and Young Adults, Joint Damage causing Pain and Loss of Function, Rheumatic Disease causing Pain & Stiffness in Backbone, Inflammation of the Tendon, Inflammation of the Sac Surrounding the Joint - Bursitis, Pain
 
Yeah, 90mg is not bad for now but if you're taking it for an extended period of time (say a month) you will undoubtedly end up at least doubling you dose by then due to tolerance. Then it will be a problem. So if you're on some sort of long term treatment I would tell your doctor you're concerned about addiction and have him switch you to a non-narcotic medication.

I'd stay away from Tramadol, as stated above it has some pretty nasty withdraw but Naproxen or Toradol are good choices.
 
out of the two ibuprofen and naproxen sodium.. they are both non steroidal anti inflammatories and are very effective for pain dealing with inflammation of tissue and such.. out the of those two Naproxen Sodium is undoubtedly the Stronger. Just because something does not work on your father does not mean it won't work for you.. I can take 2,000 mg ibuprofen and it won't give me half the pain relief I get from one single prescription strength 500 mg naproxen tablet.
as far as the 90 mg of codeine.. if your on 400 mg a day of tramadol then That is the one you need to worry about, I myself have an addiction to tramadol and all opiates if you want to be particular about it bruh..
and I am withdrawing from just a week back on it right now.. The tramadol is much more addictive than codeine and has a much worse withdrawal syndrome.. in fact I use the codeine to alleviate tramadol withdrawals and it barely does that even..
 
NSAIDs can be great for pain, but bad for the stomach so if you are on them long term you really need to be on something to protect your stomach (eg omeprazole) - speak to your doctor about that. They are also bad for people with kidney trouble and can sometimes exacerbate asthma.. but they can be fantastic for pain and inflammation.

As long as you are strict about only taking the codeine as prescribed you should be fine :) but if it makes you feel uncomfortable, I'd speak to your doctor about other alternatives.
 
hey guys, slowed down to 60 mg codeine a day......no probs so far..........i know it sounds toy, but im very cautious with meds etc due to having a lifetime of addiction to illicts.....u know the story....

joely
 
I'm glad to hear an update from you, also glad to hear you're starting to cut down. I know it can be pretty rough, but keep your chin up.
 
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thanks oxide, i'll get there...its just the old addicts mentality in me comin out...i reckon i'll be completely off it in a week or two...nice and slow.....

thanks bra...take care...

joel
 
hey guys, how are we? im gonna b honest and spit this out......im taking alot more codeine these days 120mg at a time maybe once or twice a day....been going through a rough patch..........now i dont wanna get addicted! im 28 and started using when i was 8yrold and now been clean of illicts for 4 1/2 years........jus bein honest...im sure we can all relate...to that little bit more...or quit the next day mentality....but for most of us that aint work for shit...aye....take care joely
 
Joelz, are you taking more because of tolerance or taking more for recreation? You said rough patch so I am just going to assume "recreation".

Personally, I too am scared of addiction as I have ben through it once already with a pain medication and it is happening again, just not sure which medication it is.
Being medically addicted is not a bad thing. It just means your body got used to the medicine. Be straight with your doctor, tell him/her whats up and they can help you out real good. They wont shun you for becoming addicted and the self awareness is a good thing.

When I found out I was addicted to my MS Contin, I told my doctor what had happened, how I couldn't miss a dose without anxiety, diarrhea, and host of other problems. He asked me if I felt the medication was working for what I needed it to do. I told him that I felt it wasn't and so we began a taper down. Took me about 8 weeks of tapering (high doseage) but when I took that last pill and then cringed and waited. Nothing happened. No withdrawal symptoms. It was a clean taper(wont happen for everybody). So, even if you do become addicted, a proper doctor will not leave you hanging if you tell them about it.

I dont know what I am addicted to right now as I am sorting myself out atm. Im sure I will find out in the next month or 2. Like I said though, be honest with your doctors, you will get awesome care that way (if you have a doctor who truly cares) and if you dont feel you are being helped proper, you do have the right to a second opinion.


Good luck!
 
aveo mate thanks for da reply....its not really tolerance........its half recreation half for the pain. na the rough patch is 3 mates going away for 15 . mums bestie comitting suicide. best friend who had been clean 8 months of crystal, breaking his back in a car accident driving, and killing his passenger. oh and the 5 year anv of my mate rip. so yeah .........the addict mentatility in me.....reaches for anything...ya know? cheers for ya reply u sound like my kinda man lol.....i have a gr8 gp who im very honest wit and shit.......good doctor. clean taper...good shit........chemicals just scare the shit outta me in general......i used for most of my life lol..peace up bra joely
 
Gah, thats alot of shit my friend. Sorry to hear. You will be ok tho :)

Try easing up on your use, especially if your limited in the medication amounts you can get. Just use for physical pain. Its tough, I know. I'd say maybe see a psyche but they may want to put you on more meds (which you can refuse of course) but it may be a thing to think about. Or start talking it out with a good friend who will listen.

Everything else has pretty much been said but maybe someone else has some good ideas.

Take care!
 
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